Fabrication system



Dec. 18, '1962 c. AussglnA' ETAL 3,068,721

FABRICATION sys'rm 7 Sheets-Sheet 1' Original Filed July 7, 1954 Z Wm o 3 mm 1 MW Dec. 18, 1962 c. AUSENDA ETAL 3,068,721

FABRICATION SYSTEM Original Filed July 7, 1954 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TORS CHRLO AMSENDA RUBERTO omnu ES Dec. 18, 1962 c. AUSENDA ETAL 3,068,721

FABRICATION SYSTEM Original Filed July 7, 1954 7 Sheets-Sheet 3 74c 73b s 73 79 1 INVENTOR.

CARAO Al/SENDA BY P0852727 0538M Dec. 18, 1962 c. AUSELNDA ETAL FABRICATION SYSTEM 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 Original Filed July 7, 1954 I.iIIIIlIIIIIIIIIIIlII-lll II IIIIIJIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII! INVENTORJ c4240 AUSENDA 2051mm BELTS/M153 Dec. 18, 1962 c. AUSENDA ETAL 3,068,721

FABRICATION SYSTEM Original Filed July 7, 1954 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTORS I 33 CARLO AUSENDA 240 I ROBE/P70 DESSfilLfJ Dec. 18, 1962 c. AUSENDA ETAL 3,06

FABRICATION SYSTEM Original Filed July '7, 1954 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 CARLO Auszunn By Roatnra BESS/Ill 5 w zd/ w Dec. 18, 1962 c. AUSENDA ETAL 3,068,721

' FABRICATION SYSTEM Origihal Filed July 7, 1954 '7 Sheets-Sheet 7 IN V EN TOR! CARI. 0 AUSENDA snea'm Patented Dec. I8, 1952 3,0es,721 FABRICATIGN SYSTEM Carlo Ausentia and Roberto Dessalles, Milano, Italy, as-

signors to Compagnia Italiana Forms Acciaio S.p.A., Milan, Italy, a corporation of Italy 7 Original applicatien .l'uiy 7, E5 5, Ser. No. 441,356, now Patent No. 2,47,203, dated Aug. 2, 1966. Divided and this application Get. i4, 1959, Ser. No. 851,488

6 Claims. (ill. '775) This invention relates to apparatus and method for'fabrication of work involving a combination of mechanical and light-sensitive electrical means. More particularly, this invention pertains to a new system utilizing a master tape with markings for control in combination with work carriage means, to regulate and index travel between operation stations and to select tooling means for work on said carriage.

This application is a division of the copending application for United States Letters Patent Serial No. 441,- 856 filed July 7, 1954, now Patent No. 2,947,203, dated August 2, 1960.

By means of our invention, diificulties in variousprior practices have been overcome. Thus, we provide a new fabrication system in which work is moved in controlled fashion relative to automatically operable tool means. In that relative movement, provision is made for precise indexing at such tool operation stations. Further, at each operation station, a due selection is made among available tools in accordance with the signal position and identification of a marked tape, which is made at that station with the aid of light-sensitive members. A further feature of our invention not only prevents over-running in the course of achieving precise indexing, but means are also provided for taking care of stations which are close to one another. In addition, for movements between stations farther apart, a plurality of motor means are capable of selectively effecting higher speed for the approach and lower speed for the final movement to index position at the next such station. Such high speed feature may also be utilized in a rapid return of the carriage means preparatory to a new working stroke. These with marked control tape and electrical circuit means in the new system cooperate to achieve a new kind of autornatic and precise operation on work undergoing fabrication, and at greater economy, than has heretofore been considered practical.

Other features and advantages of our invention will be apparent from the following description and from the drawings, which are illustrative of one embodiment only,

in which FIGURE 1 is a front view, in somewhat schematic form, of one embodiment of our invention;

FIGURE 2 is a plan view of the embodiment shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 2A illustrates a hold-down modification which may be provided in the embodiment shown in FIGURES 1 and 2;

FIGURE 3 is a view of the embodiment shown in FIGURES 1 and 2 taken along line .IIIIII of FIG- URE 2;

FIGURE 4 is an end view of the embodiment shown in FIGURE 1 when looking at the left hand-end of that embodiment;

FIGURE 5 is a view of a new control head utilized in the embodiment illustrat d in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 6 is a plan view of the control head shown 'in FIGURE 5;

FIGURE 7 is a view of the control head shown in FIGURE 5 with the front cover thereof removed;

FIGURE 8 is a view taken along line VIII-VIII of FIGURE 7;

FIGURE 9 is a somewhat enlarged view taken along line IX-IX of FIGURE 8;

FIGURE 10 is a plan view of the lamp shield structure shown in FIGURE 9;

FIGURE 11 is a view taken along line XIXI of FIGURE 7;

FIGURE 12 is a view of a perforated master tape utilized in the embodiment shown in FIGURE 1; and

FIGURES 13A, 13B and 13C together constitute a single figure illustrating new electric circuit means utilized in the embodiment shown in FIGURE 1.

Referring to the drawings, an embodiment of our invention may comprise a rigid frame 1 of structural strength members secured together in cubical fashion. Said frame 1 may be aifixed, for example, to the floor of a plant in which the new apparatus is to be used. Ways in the form of spaced parallel guide rails 2 are affixed to said frame 1 and extend, in the illustrated embodiment, from end to end thereof. Rails 2 are rigid and support a work carriage 4 having wheels 3 in direct engagement with the top of rails 2. As shown, wheels 3 are provided at the corners of carriage 4. Further pairs of wheels 3 between the ends of carriage 4 may be used on carriage 4 whenever it is long enough to warrant such to guard against springing of the carriage in the course of a tool operation on work 20% carried by carriage 4. Such work 200 may be in the form, for example, of a casting fastened to carriage 4 by suitable clamp means (not illustrated). Further, as illustrated in FIGURE 2 hold-down rollers 291 may be connected by rigid brackets 202 to journals 203. Rollers 261 travelalong t underside of a flange 2a in the modification shown in FIGURE 2A and may be utilized to insure against any tendency of carriage 4 to jump up in the course of ani fabrication operation in the course of the use of our invention.

Generally, the mass of work 261 and of the new device provided herein will be sufiicient for precision ind X ing and tooling without concern for springing or jumping or other relative movement of parts of the new invention when carriage 4 is at rest at a station where one or more selective tooling operations are to be performed upon the workpiece 200.

Arms 18 are rigidly secured to carriage 4 and extend outwardly toward the front of the new machine and downwardly as shown in FIGURES 1 and 2 to provide a rigid support fora master tape 23 having control markings which may be in the form of perforations 2G3. Clamp 21 abuts the outer and lower end of arm 18 and the jaws of clamp 21 may be tightened by a screw 264 in such a manner as to hold the left-hand end of tape 23 securely in position. In the abutment of clamp 21 against arm 18, tape 23 passes through an open ended slot 295 toward the other arm 13 where the right-hand end of tape 23 is secured between the jaws of clamp 22 by means of a screw 2%. One of the jaws of clamp 22 is provided with a threaded stud 2197 which passes through a hole in the right-hand arm 13 to be engaged by a nut Ztia'ia. A spring 2% is mounted between washers 21% and maintains tape 23 under a preselected tension to hold it taut in accordance with the amount that nut 293a is tightened up on stud 2ii7a. Hence, during all movements of carriage 4, tape 23 moves in exact correspondence and acts as a control feature in the new fabrication system of this invention. A control head 39 has a slotted passage 42 from side to side thereof and open at the front through which tape 23 passes.

Carriage 4, in the iilustrated embodiment, is provided with a downwardly projecting, centrally located bracket 8. A main motor 5 may be fastened to the underside of carriage 4 to drive a driven gear '6, by means of a motor shaft 206, the outer end of which is suitably sup ported in a bear ng in bracket 8. A magnetic locking brake 15 is provided with motor 5 and connected so that upon energization of motor 5 through the wires 297, the locking brake will simultaneously release motor shaft 206 to enable motor 5 to turn driver gear 6. Conversely, upon cessation ofthe flow of electric current in wires 2&7, brake 15 will simultaneously be applied, as by means of a spring, with suflicient force to stop and lock motor shaft 206 against further movement. Thereby, drive gear 6 and a driven gear 7 will also be locked against further movement. The wires 297 may be in a single flexible electrical conduit sheath and by means of a reel or pulley (not shown) be extended and retracted in the course of the movement of carriage 4 from one end of frame 1 to the other.

The lower end of bracket 8 is provided with a nut 208 journaled therein and keyed or otherwise ailixed to a driven gear 7. The gear ratio between gears 6 and 7 is selected in accordance with the characteristics of motor 5, the new device and the service into which the new apparatus is to be placed. While nut 2% is rotatably supported in bracket 8, it is not capable of axial movement relative to bracket 8. Hence, when motor shaft 206 turns, the rotation of gear 7 rotates nut 298 and in turn makes nut 208 travel along a threaded screw drive shaft 9 in a direction depending upon the direction of rotation of nut 2G8.

Rigid bearing posts 11 are secured to frame 1 and are provided with bearings for the ends of threaded drive shaft 9. Collars 209 are provided. on shaft 9 in such a manner as to permit rotation thereof without permitting axial movement of shaft 9 relative to frame 1. A flexible coupling 14 connects the left-hand end of drive shaft 9, in the embodiment shown, with a second drive motor 12 which is also used for precision indexing. Coupling 14 is connected to motor shaft 213 through a speed re ducer 13, a suitable gear reduction ratio being provided therein. A magnetic locking brake 16 is also provided for motor 12 and, in the device illustrated, is rigidly mounted on frame 1 with the second motor 12, which is energized through wires 211 and the speed reducer 13. Locking brake 16 functions relative to motor 12 in the same manner that lockingbrake 15 functions relative to motor 5. Whenever motor 5 is stopped without a stoppage of motor 12 at the same time, motor 12 will rotate drive shaft 9 at a speed such that platform 4 will be moved along the rails 2 at a lesser speed than the higher speed which motor 5 is capable of alone providing when acting through gear 7 and nut 208; When motor 5 is stopped and nut 208 is locked against rotation by brake 15, the rotation of shaft 9 by motor 12 makes carriage 4 travel axially relative to drive shaft 9 by virtue of the inter-engagement of the male threads on shaft 9 with the female threads on nut 208. That travel is at a speed which is sufficiently slow to provide instant stoppage and indexing of carriage 4 when motor 12 is deenergized.

Further, in the illustrated embodiment, whenever main motor 5 is energized, secondary motor 12 will also be energized and operative to move carriage'4 in the same direction. Hence, the speed of carriage 4 will be at a maximum and the sum of the speeds respectively and difierentially provided both by the rotation of nut 268 by motor 5 and by the rotation of shaft 9 in a supplementing direction by the motor 12. As and when motor 5 is de-energized, motor 12 will continue movement of carriage 4 in the same direction at its slower speed. Thus, when motor 12 is shut-elf, the eifect thereof is to precisely place the next signal station on tape 23, carriage 4 and work 200 at the exact next operation indexing position. An exception to the running of indexing motor 12 beyond a shut-off of main motor 5 occurs when carriage 4 reaches either extreme of its limit of travel on ways 2. At either extreme, carriage 4 trips a lever 212 of a limit switch 17. When either lever 212 is tripped, both motors 5 and 12 are de-energized and both brakes may have operating tools fastened thereto across suchpath. Thus, we have illustrated only one such tool, a drill press 214, of many that may be mounted on beam 213 for drilling, reaming, boring, counterboring, broach ing and tapping operations to mention some of the possibilities. Indeed, in each of the transverse tooling positions extending along beam 213 and across the path of travel of carriage above both the carriage and workpiece 2%, either one or more than one tool may be arranged for automatic operation pursuant to the new means provided by this invention. Or, a series of rotary heads having a transverse axis generally parallel to the axis of,

beam 213 may be provided above work 200 with means for performing an entire series of tooling operations in each of the transverse tool mounting positions between the front and back of the work fastened to carriage 4. To return to drill press 214 which is shown solely as one of the possible exemplary tools, it may be provided with a drill 215 v capable of being automatically rotated and moved downwardly and upwardly by a rack 216 when work 200 is indexed and stopped at a signal station ontape 23 calling for the selection of a tooling operation by drill press 214. Further, such an automatic operation of drill 215 will occur at every one of the operation stations for which master tape 23 is provided with a perforation in that ordinate position calling for the selection and operation of drill press 214.

An optical sight 77 may be provided in the front standard 78a so that a hair line will coincide with the transvering indexing line corresponding to the tape signal station along which the selected tooling operation or operations are to be performed on work 200. In that way, in 7 setting up the new system for operation, the first of a multitude of identical pieces of work may be laid out on a layout table in the plant and clamped or otherwise aflixed to carriage 4 in proper position relative to a master tape 23 having its perforations corresponding to the layout markings for tooling on that first workpiece. Then the new machine can be run with the tooling devices on bridging bearn213 switched oif so that as the new system goes through the balance of its station cycle and ad justments made as in the longitudinal clamping of tape 23 1 those layout markings on the first workpiece.

until the hair line of sight 77 shows accurate correspondence between the axial alignment of tape 23 and Thereafter the tools can be switched on and a working cycle begun on such first workpiece and subsequent corresponding ones.

Control head 39 has a lower casing portion 217 and an upper casing portion 218 respectively fastened to frame 1 by means of lugs 219 and 220.- Some relatively slight amount of cushioning may be provided between frame 1 and casing 217218, to center the opening 42 through the sides of head 39 relative to tape 23. A partition 41 extends across the upper part of lower casing part 217 immediately below kerf opening 42. Rollers and 46 at the entry and exit sides respectively of head 39,

project upwardly through partition 41 a sufficient distance to engage and position tape 23 in the course of its passage through slot 42 in control head 39. Upper rollers 45a and 46a are mounted inthe upper casing part 218 and cooperate with rollers 45 and 46 respectively in such positioning of tape 23. Similarly, front and back 222 for head 39. Openings 223 may be provided through cover section 221 for ventilation purposes.

nose,

An electrical stepping relay mechanism 61 extends forwards from the casing and is mechanically connected to a rotatable lamp shield 52. A bracket 224 is fastened to cover section 222 and supports an arcuate bracket 225 in which the outer end of the stepping relay shaft 59 is journaled. The inner end 59a of shaft 59 is connected to outer end 59 by a flexible coupling 226. Shaft 59a is hushed at 227 and direcny connected to shield 62. to both support that shield in concentric relation to a lamp 44 and to rotate that shield 62 step-by-step when the new system calls for such action. As stepping mechanism 61 acts, it swings an arm 228 in step-by-step relation across radial contact 29 in a sector swept by arm 228. Arm 225 carries brushes 23d and 239a and at each step of the stepping relay action, a tool or tools in the circuit closed between a brush or arm 228 and a fixed radial electrical contact 229, is energized. The time required at each operation station for a tool like drill press 214- to engage the work, complete the operation and return to starting position may be taken care of, for example, in the circuit timing inasmuch as the work see, carriage 4 and tape 23 will respectively remain at rest in their respective corresponding operation and signal stations until each of the selective tool operations for that station has been completed by the swinging of arm 228 through 180 mechanical degrees. Upon brush 23b or 239a as the case may be, passing the terminal end of the radial contacts 229, the stepping relay will stop with its brushes in position as shown in FIGURE 13C for the ext station operation.

Master tape 23 may be made of flexible plastic or steel strip or other suitable material. Minute perforations 2% are punched through the tape or otherwise provided in accordance with the longitudinal and transverse spacing of the individual toolings to be performed upon a workpiece like work Zilii. These perforations may be in size of the order of a fraction of a millimeter and yet be sufficient in size for a light-sensitive operation controlled in the new system by such a tape 23. In FIGURE 12, it will be noted that sufficient perforations are provided in longitudinal planar alignment with one or more of the spirally arranged tool selector openings 630 to 670 inclusive through each cylindrical half of shield 62, to perform the desired fabrication.

In that illustrated embodiment, the longitudinal or aabscissa lines along tape 23 may be respectively numbored 63a to 67a. A working stroke in the illustrated embodiment extends from left to right when viewing FIGURE 1. An ordinate signal station is reached on tape 23 each time one or more perforations 2% occurs in transverse alignment perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of tape 23 and to the imaginary abscissa lines 53a to 67; inclusive. As an example only, tape 2-3 has 5 such abscissa lines. Each perforation 2&3 along any abscissa 63a to 67a will produce a separate signal and tool operation as and when each perfora ion is utilized in energizing a phototube 53 in control head Thus, if by way of illustration the tape 23 shown in FEGURE 12 is provided, between clamps 21 and 22., only with perforations as shown in FIGURE 12, there will be a signal and operation station occurring at each of the transverse lines which may respectively be numbered 23-1 to 237 inclusive. Moreover, when tape 23 is stopped at station 233., control head 39, carriage 4 and work 209 will be stopped at the same operation station for precise tooling by tool members on beam Z-iB. Furthermore, while the new device is held by brakes l5 and 16 ai rest at station 231, tooling operations will occur in sequence by virtue of the transmittal of light permitted y the single perforation 2% at the intersection of lines .31 and 63a; second tooling operation will occur by virtue of the perforation 2393 at the intersection of lines 231 and 64a; a third tooling operation will occur by virtue of the perforation at the intersection of lines 231 and 65a; a fourth tooling operation will occur by virtue of the perforation 203 at the intersection of lines 231 and 66a; and a fifth, which in the instant embodiment may be used to operate drill press 214, will occur by virtue of the perforation 2% at the intersection of lines 231 and 67a. The tooling operations at station 231 and at the other stations are initiated in each instance, after carriage 4- has stopped, by the pressing of a scanning button 79d which sets stepping relay mechanism 51 in motion and commences the rotation of scanning shield s2,

Upon completion of the tooling operation at station 251, an operator, inasmuch as the illustrated embodiment is semiautomatic rather than fully automatic, will press a forward button 7% to speed tape 23, carriage 4 and Work 260 to the next signal and operation station corresponding to line 232 where the only tooling operation performed will be that selected by perforation 293 at the intersection of lines'2-32 and 63a. Similarly, after each station cycle button 7% will be pressed and tape 23, carriage 4 and work 289 will speed to the positions represented in turn by ordinates 233, 234, 2.35, 236 and 237. At station 237, five tooling operations as regulated by the five perforations will again occur in succession in the manner of the toolings at station 231 except that at station 237 a different part of work 200 is presented for such tooling operations. It will be evident that a master tape 23 may be readily punched for various desired combinations of placements and sequences of fabrication openations. Since a tape 23 may be accurately punched for control and readily adjusted and afiixed, the new device will readily perform tooling operations on work with a vast improvement in accuracy and economy. In some cases, after work has been fabricated in the course of one working stroke of carriage 4, it may be returned to its starting position for a new series of tooling operations in accordance with a new selection of a tape 23 for the succeeding series of operations on the same work. Thus, an operator may readily and semiautomatically effect, control and change precision fabrication on work of different kinds and masses attached to carriage 4. Further, there is no limitation as to the kinds of tools that may be adapted for operation with the cooperating elements of this new system.

Immediately in advance of control head 39, an air blower 30 may be utilized to blow air downwardly against the top of a tape '23 and through the perforations 263. Thereby, lint or dirt that may have tended to clog a perforation 2633 is blown away in advance of the reading of tape 23 inside control head 39. Efiiuent air from the lower part 45 of blower passes into a discharge pipe 40a which may be conducted into the in terior of the upper portion 213 of head 39 to cool light source lamp 43 and the light source lamp 44, the air from. thence passing to the outside. Inside control head 39, lamps 43 and 44 are affixed to sockets attached to the rear wall of casing Partition 41 covers the top of lower casing part 217 except for three transversely extending apertures 238, 239 and The long dimension of each of those apertures is such that every perforation on tape 23 will pass above each of said apertures astape 23 moves relative thereto. Lamp 43 is positioned above aperture 233 to shine therethrough whenever there is any perforation 293 above aperture 238. Upon each passage of a pm-foration over aperture 23 a phototube 52 is energized. A 'blinder 5% fits around phototube 5.2 to limit light re ceived thereby to that transmitted through one or more perforations 2% as each is above aperture 233. Broader aperture 239 and aperture 24%, in the illustrated embodiment, utilize lamp 4% as a light source for phototubes 54 and 53 respectively whenever perforations 263 in tape 23 and openings in shield as are in alignment with such apertures respectively. A phototu'be 54 receives impulses that may be transmitted from lamp through aperture 239 and is provided with a rblinder 58a to keep stray light from entering. On the other hand, phot-otube 53 receives any light from tube 44 that may be transmitted by registry of openings in tape 23 and shield 62 with aperture 249. A blinder 58b is utilized to keep stray light from affecting phototube 53. 7

Upon passage of any light through apertures 238 or 239 respectively to phototubes 52 and 54, main motor is deenergized and its brake 15 applied thereby quickly slowing the speed of carriage 4 down to the speed produced by secondary or indexing motor 12. Then, when a station ordinate is in vertical registry with aperture 240 the energization of phototube 53 will instantly stop motor 12 and apply locking brake 16 to stop tape 23, carriage 4 and work 209 instantly without overrunning' regardless of the mass or bulk of work 290, or of the inertia of the new machine. Upon such station indexing and stopping of tape 23 and carriage 4, work 200 is ready for tooling operations corresponding to the number of actuation perforations in the station ordinate then in indexing position above aperture 240. An operator will then push selector scanning button 79d to initiate action of the stepping relay 61 and shield 62. Once started, stepping relay mechanism 7 61 will continue through 180 of rotation and shield 62 will successively and in synchronism scan the station ordinate intersection with each of the imaginary lines 63a to 67:1. As described above, if that scanning is performed at the station corresponding to transverse line 233, opening 640 after opening 63!: has passed by, will register with the perforation 203 at the intersection of lines 64a and 233 to energize phototube 53 and complete a tooling operation circuit through the second operative tooling step 64b on the stepping relay, as shown on FIGURE 13C. Upon completion of all of the station stops and of the tool operations of each of those station stops, an operator will usually press a return button 790, whereupon both reversible motors 5 and 12 will return carriage 4 to starting position at the combined speeds of those motors in the return stroke direction. After the pressing of button 79c, carriage 4 will continue moving to the left as shown on FXGURE 1 until carriage 4 strikes the left-hand limit lever switch 212 stopping both motors and bringing the carriage to a halt, unless prior to reaching the extremity of its return stroke, the operator stops the carriage by pressing stop button 79b.

After returning to a starting position at the left in the illustrated embodiment and stopping, a new workiug stroke for carriage 4 and the new device'may be readied by taking off the fabricated work and mounting a new workpiece on carriage 4, or by changing the tape 23, or by shiftingtape 23 relative to the existing work if there is to be a second round of fabrication operations thereon. When the new device is again readied, the operator will press button 79:: and start a new fabrication cycle. If a number of identical pieces have to be fabricated in the same way, the new system lends itself to rapid production in a way heretofore not available.

The buttons 79 may be mounted on a panel desk 71 rigidly afixed to frame 1 adjoining control head 39; Signal lights 72-76 inclusive may also be provided on desk 71 to indicate the actuations of phototube 53 for respective tooling operations occurring by virtue of perforations respectively on any of the lines 63a67a at each operation station. Terminal connections 241 and 242 and others may be provided upon control head 39 and elsewhere for circuit test and adjustment purposes. In installing a new device made in accordance with this invention, braking times and mass elfects of the new apparatus may either be calculated or empirically tried out to set up the new apparatus and ready it for fabrication operations with due allowance for the characteristics of the parts of the new apparatus. Furthermore, the smaller the diameter of the perforations in a tape'23, the greater the precision that wil be'obtaine'd particularly when taken in conjunction with the vernier character of the lower speed provided by the secondary motor 12. Indeed, indexing accuracies of the order of one one-thousandth of an inch j may be achieved by means of the new apparatus and system. Moreover, in a scanning operation performed through the pinholes in shield 62, no actuation will occur unless the indexing station ordinate precisely overlies aperture 249, the width .of which 240 may be no wider than the diameter of the perforations in a tape 23. Thereby, shield 62 serves to double check both the accuracy of the stopping and of the positioning. Still further, respective parts may be difierently arranged without departure from the teaching of this invention. For example, main motor may be mounted on frame 1 while secondary motor 12 and drive shaft 9 may be connected to carriage 4.

The illustrated embodiment of our invention includes an electronic circuit illustratively depicted in FIGURES 13A, 13B and 13C which in side-by side arrangement from left to right constitute but a single figure without interruption across the side margins of the respective drawing sheets ofthe electric wire connectors'bearing the same reference numerals.

Terminals 181, 182 and 1S3 and the connectors leading therefrom may indicate a three-phase source of power of appropriate voltage. A magnetic coil structure 250 in each of those connectors may provide a fast-acting overload device to open a main switch circuit breaker 251 in the event, for example, of a sudden voltage surge in any of v the lines. Each of the line connectors to the power source may also be provided with a thermal resistance protective device 252 which is generally slower acting to open the breaker 251 in the event of continuing excess current flow in any of the line connectors to a power terminal 181' to 183. The power line connectors in turn are connected to the movable contacts, in the illustrated embodiment, of a working stroke relay gang switch 253 and to the movable contacts of a return stroke gang switch 254 in a reversing order. Switch 253 is responsive to a working stroke relay 255 while the movable contacts in switch 254 are responsive to a return stroke relay 256. 'The movable contacts in question are normally open, suitable biasing being provided as by means of a spring in each case. When the movable contacts in question are open, a contact 257 is normally closed in switch 253 in the circuit of the terminal limit switch at the end position of the working stroke, said terminal limit switch being limit switch 17 at the right-hand end when looking at FIGURE 3 r of the drawings. Similarly, when the movable contacts in switch 254 are open, a contact 258 in the circuit of the terminal limit switch 17 at the end position of the return stroke, at the left-hand end of FIGURE 3, is closed. The limit switches 17 are normally closed until opened by engagement of carriage 4 with one or the other levers 212 respectively.

With the switches 253 and 254 in'the position shown in FIGURE 13C, the entire device is stopped and at rest with the brakes 15 and 16 respectively in applied locking position relative to the motors 5 and 12. The main switch 251 is normally closed and must also have its contact 259 closed if there is to be any operation of the new device. Normally, open contact 260 in switch 253 is a seal-in con-.

tact for a working stroke operation, after button 7% has been pushed and released, following the initiation of a full or partial working stroke until either main switch 251 is opened or stop button 7% is pushed to ie-energize controller 255 or the upper working stroke limit switch 17 in FIGURE 13C is opened to ie-energize relay 255 thereby stopping the device; 'Correspondingly, contact 251 is a seal-in contact foria full or partial return from the circuit structure comprising a remote controller controlling the relays 255 and 256, into a motor control relay structure 262. A gang-connected series of six movable contacts 263 has the upper set of three connected to terminals 115, 116 and 117 to which wires 21 1 are respectively connected to energize lower speed motor 12 when that motor is in an energized circuit. Similarly, the lower set of three movable contacts on gang switch 263 has connectors 168, 169 and 170, to terminals 118, 119 and 12%, respectively. The terminals 118, 119 and 123 are respectively connected in turn to the leads 207 for main motor 5 for the operation thereof when the terminals in question are energized. Connectors 163, 169 and 176 are placed in circuit through a movable switch gang-connected contact 264 having a relay R5 which when energ zed holds gang switch 264- open against its bias toward closed position. Relay R2, on the other hand, controls the movable gang switch 263 biased to open position. Hence, by means of relay R5 and switch 26d, main motor 5 can be disconnected from the circuit, as will appear, while secondary motor 12 continues to operate during the energization of relay R2.

A copper oxide rectifier 255 for a relay R3 and a second copper oxide rectifier 266 for a relay Rd are connected across lines 16? and 179. A capacitance connected in shunt with time delay relay R3 provides a timing delay for main motor 5, relay R3 controlling the movable contacts of gang switch 267, normally biased to the position shown in FIGURE 1313. On the other hand, relay R4 controls normally open movable contact 263. Relay R4 may be a copper slug timing relay to prepare for the firing of thyratron 269, by closing contact 268 in the same manner that the firing of thyratron 276 is prepared for by the closing of movable contact 271, when the coil of relay R3 is energized, to bridge the open connection between connectors 148 and 153. When that bridging is effected, movable contact 272 closes a circuit between connectors 146 and 156 in series with circuit between connectors i156 and 154 when movable contact 258 is also closed. The relative selection of the characteristics of relays R3 and R4 is such that relay R4 is operative in advance of relay R3 in the course of an operation during a working stroke. Thus relay R may have a time delay of about one-tenth of one second while the delay of relay R4 may be about twothirds of one second. A movable contact 273 normally closes a circuit through the coil of relay R2 until opened by the energization of a control relay R1. When contact 273 opens, the movable contacts of switch 263 return to the position shown in FiGURE l3i3 in which event motor 12 is instantly stopped by the locking brake 16, the motor 5 having previously been stopped in the course of a working stroke by the firing of thyratron 274 to stop the main motor 5 through relay R5. Whenever movable contact 273 is opened by control relay R1, the relays R3 and R4 are also immediately returned to the conditions shown in FEGURE 133. The actuation of control relay R1 depends upon the firing of the gas discharge tube 274 which may be a standard thyratron having type 2050 characteristics. Thyratrons 259 and 27%, on the other hand, may be type P1421. When thyratron 274 fires, after scanning starts, current passes through connectors 107 and 1%1 so that when a brush 233 or 29a is in contact with one of the tool mechanism operation positions 63b, 64b, 65b, 6612, or 6712, in the illustrated embodiment, a tooling operation or sequence of operations at that position will take place.

Stepping relay mechanism 61 may comprises three sectors 275, 276 and 277. The first sector is provided with the radial fixed contacts 63b to 6712 inclusive (among the contacts 229), which contacts 63b to 67b are respectively connected to particular tool relays 278 to 2252, inclusive, which control contacts 27 8a to 282a, inclusive. Contacts 273:: to 232a, inclusive, are normally biased open and when selectively closed, energize secondary tool relays 283 to 287, inclusive respectively. Relays 2-83 to 287, inclusive, actuate normally open movable contacts 283a to 287a. As shown in FIGURE 13C, signal lights 72 to 7 6, inclusive, are in the circuit with movable contacts 283a to 287a, inclusive, respectively. In addition, as shown for the fifth position 67b in a clockwise direction on sector 275, movable contact 237 is ganged with a second movable contact 28712, as an illustration of one possible circuit connection, whereby a drill press 214 may be operated automatically from a support like bridging beam 213. Thus, when brush 230 or 230a is in contact with fixed contact 67b, the closing of contact 287a and 237b also energizes relay 288 in addition to signal light 76, thereby closing through a movable contact 239, the circuit which energizes the motor of drill press 214 and feeds rack 216 down and up at a preselected speed. Energy for the rotation, feeding and retraction of drill press 214 are provided through terminals 296. An individual switch may be placed in the actuation circuit of drill press 214 if desired. The feeding and retraction cycle may be controlled by a suitable reversing device in a control box 291 in drill press 214.

At each of the other positions corresponding to a signal light, a tool or tools of suitable character for the work to be performed on workpiece 200' may be mounted and operated by virtue of the master control achievable through this invention. Thus, in some cases, an energized circuit through the contacts of the stepping relay may be utilized to operate a pair of tools in each of the tool operation positions. Although but five such positions are shown and discussed in the illustrated embodiment, it is evident that various permutations and combinations of positions and tools may be effected in carrying out this invention.

A normally closed movable contact 2% is interposed in the circuit of the brushes 23b and 230a and subject to the control of relay 293 which also controls a movable contact 294- normally in contact with line connector 113. Relay 293 is a relay which may utilize a copper slug and is energized only when a brush of arm 277a is on one of the jumpered stepping relay contacts in sector 277. Until normally closed contact 232 is opened by relay 2% tool operations cannot begin since contact 222 acts as a shortcircuiting contact when closed. The energization of the coil in relay 293 also moves movable contact 224 into circuit with connector 114 and breaks the circuit with connector 113 thereby reducing the negative bias on thyratron 274 which then permits thyratron 274 to fire each time a light impulse reaches phototube 53 through one of the pinholes 636 to 670 in shield 62. As soon as arm 277a moves ofi a jumpered contact in sector 277, relay 293 is tie-energized and no firing of thyratron 274 can again occur for tooling operations until relay 2% is again energized. As shown, sector 2'77 is jumpered around the entire portion of the stepping relay mechanism utilized for tooling operations in the illustrated embodiment. in sector 276, on the other hand, all of the radial fixed contacts thereof are jumpered together to provide ste ping through 180. The three sectors with their respective brush arms are insulated one from the other, as illustrated in 130, except to the extent joined electrically through the illustrated circuit connections.

When tape 23 and carriage 4 come to rest at an operation station, the stepping relay mechanism 61 will be in the position shown in FIGURE 13C. The, when an operator pushes scanning button 79d which momentarily closes the circuit through connector lines 295 and 2%, first relay 297 and then relay 2% will operate. Relay 297 controls normally open movable contact 297a which will be closed causing current to energize a latching relay Still, thereby preventing the brush arms on shaft 59 in the three sectors of stepping relay 61 from moving in a direction counter to the clockwise direction indicated for them in FIGURE 13C. At the same tune, closing of movable contact 297a will advance the brush arms 228,

276a and 277a one step or position. During the energizetion of relay 297, condenser 239 will be charged through the coil of that relay. After a short period of time, a relay 298 will act opening movable contact 298a which moves the brush arms 228', 276:: and 277a an additional step in the stepping relay mechanism and allows condenser 299 to discharge through the coil of relay 298, thereby keeping contact 298d open. Upon completion of discharge by condenser 299, relay 298 becomes de-energized and movable contact 298a returns to its normally closed position, thereby initiating the next step of the stepping cycle which will continue until the brush arms 22?, 276a and 277a and shaft 59 are swept through 180 mechanical degrees. Each closing of contact 297a and each opening of contact 2981: causes the brush arms to advance a single step as will be readily understood by those skilled in the stepping relay art. The opening and closing of each of movable contacts 297a and 298a in alternative sequence will cause the brush arms 275a, 276a and 277a to rotate between the fixed radial contacts in their respective sectors in synchronism since all are connected to shaft 59 and in accord with the timing provided by the relays 297 and 2%.

In the foregoing circuit, a transformer 301 has its alternating current primary in single phase across the power line connectors 182 and 183 through the lines 101 and 104 in the course of operations during a working stroke. A second transformer 3112 has its primary similarly connected. The secondary on transformer 391 is connected by connectors 139 and 140 to electronic circuit of phototube 53. A second winding on the secondary of transformer 361 is connected to a copper oxide rectifier 303 which supplies direct current through connector lines 126 and 128 to the filaments of lamps 43- and 44. A third winding on the secondary of transformer 301 is connected as shown to circuits between the relays 283 to 287 and their respective movable contacts. The secondary of transformer 302 supplies a rectifier 304 which in turn provides direct current for the relays 293, 297,

.298 and 3410. A third transformer 305 has its primary received by phototube 53 after contact 294 is moved inr to connection with connector 114. A variable rheostat 307 adjustably controls the bias on the control grid of the thyratron 274 when movable contact 294 is in the position shown in FIGURE 1333.

A further transformation occurs in the transformers 308', 369 and 310, the primaries of which receive single phase power from power connectors 181 and 153 through line connectors 16% and 1%. In transformer 368, one secondary coil 311 provides direct current voltage through connector 149 and relay R5. The remainder of the transformer secondary is in an amplifying circuit for phototube -2. Thus, when phototube 52 receives a light impulse from lamp 43 through one or more perforations in tape 23 on an ordinate line, such light passes through aperture 238 when such perforation or perforations overlie that aperture. The signal or response of phototube 52 may be amplified by a pentode 3'12 and a duo-triode 313 in an amplifying circuit with the thyratron 270. Impulses from lamp 44 which pass through shield 62 when an opening in that shield is in registry with one or more perforations in tape 23 overlying aperture 239' actuate a light-sensitive phototube 54, which sends out a signal or response amplified by a pentode 314 and duo-triode 315 in circuit with thyratron 269. A secondary winding 316 of transformer 369 provides positive voltage for the The secondary of [Y 12 plates of the amplifying tubes of amplifiers 312 to 315, inclusive.

When light from lamp 44 passes through an opening in shield 62, in alignment with one or more perforations along a transverse ordinate line in master tape 23 overlying aperture 240, phototube 53 will receive an impulse which is amplified by pentode 317 and duo-triode 318. One side of each of the duo-triodes in the three amplifiers in FIGURE 13A may be provided with a variable reference or noise cancelling signal 319. The amplifying tubes for phototube 53 are also in circuit as shown with thyratron 274 and transformer secondary winding 329 through rectifier 321 and connector 102 is in circuit with brush or sector arm 228 of sector 275. The dimensions of each opening 68 in the shield 62 are such that light passing through either opening 68 from the filament of lamp 44 will pass both through apertures 239 and 240 whenever perforations on tape 23 are in alignment with such apertures. Moreover, the rotation of shield 62 will take place in synchronism with the step-by-step rotation of shaft 59 as the brushes or sector arms of sectors 275 to 277, inclusive, move from fixed radial contact to fixed contact in the stepping relay mechanism 61.

In order to exemplify manifold features and advantages of our new fabrication system, let it be assumed, for example, that the new structure at rest with an unloaded carriage 4 stopped somewhere between the limit switches 17. Generally speaking, main switch 251 will be closed and remain closed until there is an occurrence actuating the circuit breakers 256 or 252. If button 790 is pushed to close momentarily the two movable contacts thereof, it will complete a circuit through connectors and 136, connectors 137 and 138, normally closed movable contact 273 and will energize relay R2. In addition, relay 256 will be energized so that the reversible lower speed motor 12 will receive current through the terminals 115, 116 and 117 arid begin to turn in the return stroke direction. Thereby, shaft 9 will be rotated to drive nut 208 and bracket 8 in a return stroke direction toward limit switch 17 at the left-hand side of FIGURE 3 in the illustrated embodiment. The starting of motor 12 by the closing of the movable contacts in gang switch 263 under the influence of relay R2 breaks the circuit through connectors 111 and 112. At the same time, rectifiers 266 and 265 are placed in circuit respectively for relay R4 which is energized first and for relay R3 which is energized a little later. Upon due elapse of time for the satisfaction of the time delay characteristic of relay R3, it closes placing connector 154 in circuit with connectors 156 and 148, placing connectors 148 and 153 in circuit and breaks the circuit with connector 147. Thereupon, relay R5 is de-energiz-ed enabling the biasing of gang switch 264 to return its movable contacts to establish circuit connections 168118, 169119 and 17012tl, causing the instant release of brake 15 and starting of motor 5 in the same return stroke direction as the rota tion of secondary motor 12. When contact 271 is in its at rest position, as shown in FIGURE 13B, relay R5 is constantly energized through transformer secondary 3-11. Motors '12 and 5 return carriage 4 without interruption even though button 79c is released immediately after it is pressed moving its movable switch contacts out of contact with the circuit connectors 136 and 151, until either sto button 7% is pushed to break the circuit through relay 256 and returning the system to its full at rest condition, or until carriage t strikes the left-hand limit switch, as seen on FIGURE 3, which also breaks the circuit through relay 256.

With carriage 4 stopped in a leading position, a work piece 268 may be positioned thereon and immovably fastened to carriage 4. At the same time, a master tape The insertion and removal of a' shearer tape 23 is quickly and readily performed whenever any change is to be made. Further, the perforating and spacing of perforations on a tape to be used in our new system can readily and accurately be performed. A suitable tape may be opaque and made of a suitable material like stainless steel with pinhole perforations of the size of a few one-tenths of a millimeter in diameter. Further, although the illustrated tape 23 moves equal distances with carriage 4 and work 200, our new system may also employ the same principle utilizing a tape of different length which is perforated in a similar preselected pattern and moved longitudinally in proportion to, the length ratio which it bears to the length of the carriage. Thus, a control tape having one-half the length of a carriage in a modification of our new device would have its perforated signal stations one-half the distance apart that the corresponding operation stations are apart on the carriage and the proportional movement of such a control tape would be one-half the movement of such carriage.

With work 2% afiixed to carriage 4 and the selected master tape 23 in position between clamps 21 and 22 which for purposes of this operative example will be assumed to correspond to the tape 23 illustrated in part in FIGURE 12, the man operating the new system will then push forward button 79a. Thereupon, connectors 135 and 136 are placed in circuit and connectors 161 and 162 are placed in circuit with the consequence that relay 225 is energized bringing gang switch 253 down and scaling in the forward or working stroke circuit through contact 269. At the same time, relayRZ is energized thereby starting the secondary motor 12 but, in this case, with the rotation thereof in a work ng stroke direction toward the right-hand end of the new structure, as it appears in FIGURE 3. Again, relay R4 is first energized and then relay R3 is energized. Energization of relay R4 closes movable contact 268 placing connector 154 in circuit with connector 155 through a resistance 322 which will ready thyratron 269 for firing upon phototube 54 receiving a light impulse from lamp 33 through aperture 239 during a working stroke. Upon the energization of relay R3, relay R is deenergized closing the circuits to main motor 5 and starting that motor also in a working stroke direction.

During the movement of carriage 4 with work 2% thereon toward the extreme right-hand end of apparatus, no impulses are received by phototubes 52, 54 or 53 whenever the light from lamps 43 and 4a is cut off from those phototubes by an unperforated portion of the master tape 2-3 overlying the apertures 238, 23 and 240 respectively. Movement of carriage 4- continues until signal ordinate line 231 reache narrow aperture 238. Thereupon, phototube 52 receives an impulse from lamp 43 through the perforations on line 231. That impulse is amplified and fires thyratron 27f) re-energizing a circuit from the anode of thyratron 270 through connector 153, movable contact 271, connector 148 and relay R5 instantly de-energizing main motor 5 by opening switch 254. The rapid braking of motor 5 by fast-acting brake greatly decelerates the forward or working stroke movement of carriage 4 and work 295 which continues at the index Vernier pace of secondary motor 12. Motor 12 remains energized until the perforations along the signal ordinate line 231 pass above wider aperture 239 and come into alignment with narrow aperture 245). Thereupon, light from lamp 44 passing through the opening as and aperture 240 sends an impulse to phototube 53 which fires thyratron 274 and energizes relay R1 breaking the circuit through relay R2 by opening movable contact 2'53. Immediately, switch 263 returns to its at rest position as shown in FIGURE 1313 Without however deenergizing the coil of relay 255, and secondary motor 12 is instantly braked in precise indexing position, with the work ready for a selector scanning search and tooling operation via shield 62 and stepping relay mechanism 61.

in the illustrated embodiment, each of the openings 63 in shield 62 is sufiiciently large to take care of passing light through both of the apertures 239 and 240 when perforations in a tape 23 overlie one or the other or both of such apertures. As the perforations in line 231 passed across aperture 239, the impulse which phototube 54 received was superfluous inasmuch as relay R5 had already been energized through the impulse transmitted to disconnect main motor 5 before the perforations in line 231 reached wide aperture 23?. Moreover, regardless of the mass and weight of carriage l and of workpiece 2%, even if main motor 5 is running at maximum speed with the new system under the worst possible load condition when a perforation passes over aperture 238, the distance between aperture 233 and aperture zae'win always be greater than the maximum distance required in which to brake main motor 5 to a stop. The deceleration provided by stopping main motor 5 coupled with the slower speed of motor 12 is such that upon the signal perforation or perforations on the signal ordinate reaching aperture 240, despite its narrow width, there will be an instant stoppage and blocking of carriage 4 and work 200 at precise indexing position. Thereupon accurate tooling by the selected one or more of the tools, for example, on bridging beam 213 can take place.

With both motors oil. and the structure at rest in indexing position by virtue of the alignment between the perforations in line 231 and aperture 240, the man operating the new system will then push the tool selector or scanning button 79d. Thereupon, the stepping relays 297 and 29% begin the step-by-step rotation of shaft 59 and of brush arms 228, 275a and 277a from fixed radial contact to fixed radial contact of the respective sectors 275, 276 and 277. For the signal station along the transverse line 231, the intermittent angular rotation of shaft 59 will rotate shield 62 in clockwise direction as shown in FKGURE 13A bringing pinhole 63c into alignment with perforation 231a and aperture 249 when brush 236 or 239a is in engagement with contacts 63b. Thereupon, signal light 72 will light and a tool operated through relay 283 will perform its portion of the fabrication on work 266 at the indexing location corresponding to perforation 231a and to aperture 24%. A plane perpendicular to tape 23 and partition 4-1 which includes imaginary line 63a will also include the axes of both pinholes 630 in shield 62; a parallel plane including line 6 2a will include the axes of pinholes o-tc; a parallel plane including line 65a will include the axes of pinholes 650; a parallel plane including line 66a will include the axes of pinholes 66c; and a parallel plane including line 67a will include the axes of pinholes 620. For representation purposes, FIGURE 9 shows all of such pinholes, although in actuality, such pinholes are in helical or spiral arrangement around the half cylinders of shield 62 between the openings as.

When the first step is taken by stepping relay 61, slowacting relay 293 is energized, moving contact 294 into circuit connection with connectors 113a and 11 i and opening contact 292, after a short period of time, to enable thyratron 274 to tire and energize the selected relay in the group 278 to 2%2 as each pinhole in shield 62 comes into registry with its corresponding perforation on line 231. Thus, when arm 228 was in engagement with contact 6312, the registry of pinhole 63c with perforation 23111 fires thyratron 274 to operate relay 278 and close contact 278a to turn signal light 72 on and initiate a tool operation through relay 283 and contact 283a. Each of the tooling steps Will operate in the same manner, the last being when arm 22% engages contact 67b when pinhole 57c transmits a light impulse from lamp 44 through perforation 231e and aperture 240 to phototube 53 for a final tooling operation at that ordinate location by drill press 214 through relay 237, gang contact 2875, relay 238 and contact 289. It will be realized that the signal lights 72 to 76, inclusive, may be omitted without interfering with indexed tooling operations that are performable by our new invention. Further, it is also feasis earer ble to use electrically operated means for counting the fabrication operations that occur at each station if such is desired. Indeed, such counting means may also be used in conjunction with a visual or audible alarm signal for any failure or trouble that may interfere with normal functioning of the new system and thereby eliminate need for inspection.

As the stepping relay mechanism 61 moves past the five tool selector positions 63b to 67b, inclusive, slow-- acting relay 293 is de-energized returning movable contacts 292 and 294 to the positions shown respectively in FIGURE 13 thereby recycling thyratron 274- to ready it for the next motor stopping, indexing, tool selection and operation cycle at the next operation station corresponding to ordinate line 232. Upon completion of the five tooling operations, provided by the five perforations on line 231, and the return of the sector arms to the positions shown in FIGURE BC, the new system, in the illustrated embodiment, is at rest and the man operating the machine will repush button 79:: to restart carriage 4 in its working stroke direction through the energization of relay R2 and the starting of secondary lower speed motor 12. Then relay R4 will act to preset thyratron 269 to be followed by the action of relay'RS which will allow switch 264 to close and start main motor 5. The action of relay R3 will also put both thyratrons 269 and 270 in the circuit of relay R5. With both main motor 5 and lower speed motor 12 running, carriage 4 will be moved toward the next station 232 at the combined speed of both motors, unless upon energization of relay R3, the energization of relay R5 is continued through the firing of thyratron 269 or 27 G by virtue of relatively close spacing of adjoining perforated signal ordinates. For example, so long as any impulse is received by phototub'e 52 through aperture 238 or by phototube 54 through wider aperture 239, main motor 5 cannot be started because of the continuing energization of relay R5 'by the firing either of thyratron 270 or the firing of thyratron 269 or the firing of both such thyratrons. Current flows in the case of the firing of thyratron 271 through the connectors 153148, while in the case of the firing of thyratron 269 current flows to the coil of relay R5 through connector 154, movable contact 268, connector 156, movable contact 272 in switch 267 and connector 148. Hence, under such circumstances the movement of carriage 4 between relatively closely spaced stations corresponding to closely spaced perforations on tape 23, proceeds at the precisely controllable speed of indexing motor 12, without concern for excessive acceleration and overrunning that might be introduced if main motor 5 had been brought into operation.

To illustrate more fully, let it be assumed that the new device has moved carriage 4 and has completed the single tooling operation indicated at ordinate 232 corresponding 'to particular contact 6312 of the contacts 229 in sector 275 of the stepping relay mechanism 61 and has also completed the single tooling operation corresponding to ordinate 233. Further, let it be assumed the perforations 235d and 235e,,for example, are longitudinally spaced on tape 23 so as to overlie the partition 41 between apertures 238 and 239 when perforation 2354c reaches overlying indexing position relative to aperture 249 and very closely spaced perforation 2362 also overlies partition 41 between apertures 238 and 239. Then, the passage of each ordinate 234, 235 and 236 past aperture 238 would cause thyratron 276 to fire to maintain energization of relay R5 at least until ordinate 234 reached aperture 240 ordinate line 234 when perforation 2340 moves into exact overlying position relative to aperture 240 as described above.

Further, if it be assumed that ordinate 235 overran aperture 238 as ordinate 234 was being moved into indexing position overlying aperture 240, the restartinig of the new system to move carriage 4 to the new operation station corresponding to ordinate 235 on tape 23 would not restart main motor 5 even if it be assumed that the time required for any ordinate to move between aperture 238 and aperture 240 was less than the, time delay incorporated in relay R3 for the reason that wider aperture 239 acts as a guard aperture. By placing the adjoining edges of apertures 239 and 240 closely together, the new system insures that relay R4 will act before ordinate 235 reaches the farther edge of aperture 239 adjoining aperture 249. As a consequence, the perforations in ordinate 235 will fire thyratron 269 and insure the maintenance of the energization of the coil of relay R5 to in turn maintain main motor 5 de-energized and locked while ordinate 235 with its two perforations, in the illustrated embodiment, moves into indexing position overlying aperture 249 to de-energize relay R2, return switch 263 to the position shown in FIGURE 13B and stop motor 12. As ordinate 235 registers with aperture 240 and stops in that indexing position, the man operating the new device will push scanning button 79d to begin the operation of stepping relay mechanism 61 whereupon the two selected tooling, operations corresponding to perforations 235d and 235e will be performed. t 2

Instead of requiring the pushing of button 79d by a man operating the new device in its illustrated embodiment in order to begin a scanning operation, alternative provision may readily be made when both motors are stopped for the automatic commencement of a scanning operation by shield 62 by the momentary closing of a circuit through line connectors 295 and 296, as will be understood by those skilled in the art to whom this invention is disclosed. Further, although in the illustrated embodiment one or more tooling operations may, be caused to occur at respective locations on the work as a consequence of each perforation on each ordinate on tape 23, it is also possible to arrange to have particular perforations on an ordinate operative on the workpiece at the same location.

Upon completion of those tooling operations at station 235, forward button 79a is pushed and in that connection, let it be assumed that ordinate 236 is so close to ordinate 235 that perforation 236a overlay the space between the two apertures 239 and 240 despite their closeness at the time that ordinate 235 overlay aperture 240., Nevertheless, the extremely short travel required to move ordinate 236 into overlying position relative to aperture 240 for indexing will take place only at the vernier speed provided by secondary motor 12. Main motor 5 is not per mitted to become actuated under the circumstances stated for the reason that the time delay of relay R3 is always at least as great as the time required for any ordinate,

at the speed provided by secondary motor 12 only, to pass from a position overlying aperture 239 or overlying the space between apertures 239 and 246 to indexing position overlying aperture 240. Hence, when perforation 236s indexes with aperture 240, relay R2 will again be instantly de-energized through the action of relay R1 and motor 12 will instantly stop and lock the work on carriage 4 in indexing position for the tooling operation performed at that position in the illustrated embodiment by drill press 214 when the operator presses button 79d;

When all of the tooling operations have been comthereupon stopping carriage 4. Thereupon, reverse button 790 may be pushed to send carriage 4 to the left toward the starting end of the new device in the illustrated embodiment preparatory to the institution of a new fabrication cycle. During the return stroke from right to left of carriage 4, the connectors 100 and 10- are in the same circuit so that the transformers 301 and 302 are rendered inoperative with the consequence that lamps '43 and 44 are not energized during a full or partial reverse stroke on the part of carriage 4, nor is there power for the relays 293, 297, 298 and 300 in the circuit of stepping relay mechanism 61. Consequently, any full or partial return stroke of sufficient duration will enjoy a fast return at the combined speeds of the motors and 12 operative in the reverse direction to their direction of rotation during the course of a forward working stroke.

It will thus be seen that by means of our new system, absolute and accurate control can be obtained at all times without concern for overrunning or for lack of precision or the closeness of indexing and tooling operation stations. Further, various modifications may be made in the new apparatus and circuits of our invention, which may also be made fully automatic, without departure from the spirit of our invention or the scope of the appended claims.

We claim:

1. In a fabrication system, the steps comprising, in combination, moving a carriage for a workpiece in at least one linear direction in steps relative to a tool position, stopping said carriage at said tooling position at the end of said steps, automatically regulating the time of tooling at said stops, controlling the length of the respective steps in accordance with the longitudinal spacing between ordinate line positions defined by markings on a tape to one side of said workpiece, moving said tape relatively and in direct proportion to movements of said carriage relative to said tooling position, stopping said tape at said ordinate line positions respectively in registry with an index controlled by energy ray means to control the stopping of said carriage at said tooling position, regulating at least the final approach speed of relative movement of said carriage to said tooling position by means of energy ray means and markings on said ordinate line positions, maintaining the relative speed of said carriage when approaching the end of each of said steps below a predetermined normal speed, signalling each marking on each ordinate line position responsible respectively for stopping said carriage at the end of each of said steps relative to said tooling position, tooling said workpiece at said tooling position in response to said signalling as each ordinate line position registers with the end position of its particular step, and at least initially moving said carriage at a rate of speed upon initiation of the next step below said predetermined normal speed.

2. In a fabrication system, the steps comprising, in combination, moving a carriage for a workpiece and tool means relative to one another in steps along a predetermined path, stopping said movement of said carriage and tool means relative to one another when said workpiece is in indexed relation to said tool means at the end of said respective steps, controlling the length of said respective steps and said stopping in accordance with the longitudinal spacing between ordinate line positions defined by markings on a tape to one side of space between said tool means and workpiece, moving said tape proportionally to movements of said carriage relative to said tool means, indexing said tape by ray means operative relative to markings on successive ordinate line positions, stopping said tape at each said respective indexed ordinate line position to control said stopping of said carriage at fabrication positions in respective registry with said tool means, automatically regulating at least the final speed of movement of said carriage to fabrication position relative to said tool means by means of ray means and said markings, reducing the speed of said spective tape ordinate line positions each having at least I one such responsive location, said pattern being generally similar to the selected tooling operation locations to be performed upon a workpiece along corresponding respective work ordinate line positions, said tape ordinate line positions being generally at right angles to a selected direction of movement of said control tape and a light emitting control head relative to one another, the spacing between said tape ordinate line positions being substantially equal to the spacing in said selected direction between said work ordinate line positions respectively, the spacing between respective light response locations along any tape ordinate line position being fo-reshortened, auto matically moving a workpiece holder and a tool holder relative to one another in said selected direction in steps between successive ones of said work ordinate line positions in accordance with the relative movement of said control tape and control head and the successive registry of said tape ordinate line positions with said control head, slowing down said relative movement of said holders a selected distance in advance of each work ordinate line position when said relative movement is at a speed above a predetermined rate, stopping said relative movement of said holders by a positive force with the approaching work ordinate line position in indexed relation for the tooling to be performed at that position, and resuming said relative movement of said holders to the next work ordinate line position at a lower rate of speed than a predetermined normal speed when said next work ordinate line position is within a predetermined distance of the immediately preceding work ordinate line position.

4. A fabrication system as set forth in claim 3, comprising, positioning said tape in fixed, laterally spaced, parallel relation to said workpiece, and actually moving at least said workpiece holder and tape at said predetermined normal speed when said next work ordinate line position is without said predetermined distance.

5. In a fabrication system, the steps comprising, in combination, providing a control tape with a pattern of energy ray responsive locations along respective tape ordinate line positions each having at least one such responsive location, said pattern being generally similar to the selected tooling operation locations to be performed upon a workpiece along corresponding re pective work ordinate line positions and to one side thereof, said tape ordinate line positions being at an angle to a selected direction of movement of said control tape and an energy ray emitting control head relative to one an other, the spacing between said tape ordinate line positions being proportional to the spacing in said selected direction between said work ordinate line positions respectively, automatically moving a workpiece holder and a tool holder relative to one another in said selected direction in steps between successive ones of said work ordinate line positions in accordance with the relative movement of said control tape and control head and the successive registry of said tape ordinate line positions with said control head, slowing down said relative movement of said holders a selected distance in advance of each work ordinate line position when said relative movement is at a speed above a predetermined rate in accordance with the registry of the corresponding tape ordinate line po=ition and control head, and stopping said relative movement of said holders with the approaching work ordinate line position in indexed relation for the tool ing to be performed at that position in accordance with 19 2%) the registry of the corresponding tape ordinate line posi- 2,479,293 Bayless Aug. 16, 1949 tion and control head. 2,701,017 Wiedemann Feb. 1, 1955 6. A fabrication system as set forth in claim 5, com 2,710,934 Senn June 14, 1955 prising, positioning said tape in fixed, laterally spaced, 2,722,853 Knosp et a1. Nov. 8, 1955 parallel relation to said workpiece. 5 FOREIGN PATENTS References Cited in the file of this patent 4 Great Britain 1936 UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,570,928 Thomas Jan. 26, 1926 10 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No., 34368,?21 December 18, 1962 Carlo Ausenda et all,

It is hereby certified that error appears in the above numbered patent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below Column 5, line 46 for "aabscissa" read abscissa column 7 line 34 for "of", first occurrence, read at column 9, line 32, after "269", strike out the comma; line 64 for "20a" read 230a line 68, for "comprises" read comprise column 10, line 1, after "inclusive" insert a comma; line 65, for "The" read Then column 13, line 39, for "33 read 44 g column 16 line 6, for "restartinig" read restarting column 19, line 3, after "com" insert a hyphen (SEAL) Signed and sealed this 20th day of August 1963., Attest:

ERNEST w. SWIDER DAVID L Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents 

